Throughout history there are many examples of warriors who have, through their deeds, beliefs and actions, been considered chivalrous and honourable. The greatest testament to such a warrior is when one 's enemies honour the warrior as such. The subject of this essay is such a warrior and a role model that I believe any aspiring warrior should study. Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn Yūsuf ibn Ayyūb or Saladin, as he has come to be called in western civilization, was the first Sultan of Egypt and Syria, and founded the Ayyubid dynasty. He led Muslim opposition to the Franks and other European Crusaders in the Levant and at the height of his power, ruled Egypt, Syria, Mesopotamia, Kurdistan, Hejaz, and Yemen. He defeat of the Crusaders at the Battle of Hattin, and subsequent re-capture of the holy city of Jerusalem, marks Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn as a prominent figure in Kurdish, Arab, and Muslim culture. Ṣalāḥ ad-Din 's chivalrous behaviour was noted by …show more content…
Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn is said to have killed Shawar then Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn was appointed vizier by al-Adid. The reasoning behind the Shia al-Adid 's selection of Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn, varies, and although positions were complicated by rival Muslim leaders, the bulk of the Syrian rulers supported Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn due to his role in the Egyptian expedition, in which he gained a record of military qualifications. As Emir, Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn repented "wine-drinking and turned from frivolity to assume the dress of religion." Towards the end of 1169, Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn defeated a massive Crusader-Byzantine force near Damietta and further strengthened his hold on Egypt as well as widen his support base. He began granting family members high-ranking positions in the region and increased Sunni influence in Cairo; he ordered the construction of a college for the Maliki branch of Sunni Islam in the city, as well as one for the Shafi